


come out and play (when the party's over)

by Selemetis



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Christmas Party, Co-workers, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Journalist!Betty, Journalist!Jughead, Mutual Pining, Office Party, One Night Stands, Sorry guys, Two Shot, betty is now an editor, billie eilish made me do it, i'm not even sorry, it's that time of the year, jughead took down hiram lodge, no biggie he is just that good, not smut, well mostly pining and then some fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-13 15:47:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16895484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selemetis/pseuds/Selemetis
Summary: She knew him all those years ago; when they were both younger and carefree -- just two kids in an office Christmas Party. She remembered how he smiled at her ongoing ramblings about the management in the office; she remembered how cute he was with that silly beanie on his head, how wonderful it must be to touch the hair underneath. She also remembered how soft his touch and how contagious his smile were. Now there he was, sitting on a hotel bar; talking to a couple of his colleagues. Four years now and his beanie was gone. She wondered if the jet black hair she remembered was still the same.//or the Christmas AU in which they pine after one another because they are idiots and I love them. that's it. that's the story.





	1. part I

**Author's Note:**

> hello! it's been awhile since i last posted bughead and it was also a christmas au. coincidence? i think not. I love christmas aus, fight me.
> 
> okay so this fic is inspired both billie eilish songs "come out and play" and "when the party's over" and actually based on halsey and the chainsmokers - closer video. i'm a cheesy person, i'm sorry. 
> 
> also sorry for the grammar mistakes, hope you like it!

She knew him.   
  


_ She knew him. _

  
She knew him all those years ago; when they were both younger and carefree -- just two kids in an office Christmas-slash-New Year’s Party. She remembered how he smiled at her ongoing ramblings about the management in the office; she remembered how cute he was with that silly beanie on his head, how wonderful it must be to touch the hair underneath. She also remembered how soft his touch and how contagious his smile were. Now there he was, sitting on a hotel bar; talking to a couple of his colleagues. Four years now and his beanie was gone. She wondered if the jet black hair she remembered was still the same.   
  
_ She knew him from the New York branch of the Blue And Gold, he was an intern at the same time she was. He was from Columbia, essentially an English Lit major with a Journalism minor and she was from Yale with a Journalism major and Creative Writing minor. It was impossible for them not to become acquaintances, if nothing.  His desk was right in front of hers, he always drank black coffee and when the piece at hand was compelling enough, he’d forget all about his coffee and it’d went cold until he remembered it. There was a crown shaped beanie over his silk looking hair and a goofy scowl that made him look like a three year old.  _

_ He wasn’t a people person and when Betty saw Jughead at the office Christmas Party, she couldn’t help but wonder why. _

_ “You didn’t fetch me as someone who enjoys big celebrations.” she said when she stood next to him, ordering a beer just like the one he’d been nursing.  _

_ Jughead chuckled and looked at the decorations surrounding them; all in bright dark green and red with a splash of blue and gold. _

_ “I’m not.” he shrugged. “But Toni insisted on me being her wingman for the night so… here I am.” _

_ “Here you are.” Betty repeated his words and smiled.  _

 

He was talking to Archie from the sports section and Sweet Pea the management assistant who awfully looked like he’d rather be anywhere but there. Jughead was nursing a glass of whiskey this time and there was a victorious smile on his face matching the one on Archie’s face. She heard about him exposing the national celebrity businessman-slash-mafia Hiram Lodge which moved Jughead’s position as a reporter on higher levels in the newspaper.

She was happy for him. She really was. There was just this bittersweet taste on her tongue made her drink her cocktail faster. 

There he was.

 

_ “And you don’t fetch me as a kind of person who’d avoid her colleagues.” he teased her, adjusting his beanie.  _

_ “I guess we both are quite the observers tonight.” she giggled and tilted her head to the left. “I just want to avoid all the questions on my ex-boyfriend’s whereabouts.” she admitted. “I’ve already told Cheryl from the publicity and I think anyone is filled in on the situation.” _

_ “I hear you.” Jughead nodded and took a sip from his bottle of beer. “Everyone’s been on my back about where Trula is and I must say that I’m this close to snap Archie’s neck for telling everyone in sight that I got dumped by my fiancé.” _

_ Betty made a face and bumped his shoulder with hers when she leaned her back on the bar.  _

_ “Yeah, he told me about it during the coffee break yesterday.” she patted his shoulder and gave him a warm smile. “I’m so sorry, Jug.” _

_ He reflected her smile and clinked his bottle with hers.  _

_ “Don’t be.” he said. “I knew we wouldn’t last long, anyways.”  _

_ “That’s sad.” she sighed but then shrugged. “But I know what you mean.” _

_ “For what it’s worth,” he said after a few silent moments between them. “I’m glad we’re here tonight.” _

_ Impressed by his rare sentiments, Betty turned at her with a big smile. _

_ “Me too, Jug.” she said and squeezed his arm. “Me too.” _

 

_ To much to Betty’s surprise, he asked her to dance after two beers of ranting about their respectively exes. He wasn’t best dancer and he kept stepping on her feet but he had the best comments about the other couples around them. She didn’t remember when was the last time she laughed at someone’s jokes that much but whenever that was, she thought this would’ve crushed it either way. _

_ When they took a break from dancing and went back to their corners, Midge Klump clapped her hands excitedly and pointed at something over their heads. _

_ “A mistletoe!” she said. “You guys now definitely have to kiss!” _

_ They both hesitated and mumbled some stuff about how necessary that was but when she looked him in the eyes, he was smiling. He raised his eyebrows in a way of saying “ _ Let’s just do it _ ” and she thought… “ _ Why not? _ ” _

_ She also thought it’d be a small peck, too; but it wasn’t. It wasn’t a full make out session either but it was long enough for Archie and Sweet Pea to wolf whistle and clap. _

_ His lips were soft and she just wasn’t ready to let the kiss go right now.  _

_ So, yes, it wasn’t a simple peck. _

 

The past messed her head up and she wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do. Sure, it had been a long time and he probably didn’t even remember her at this point and sure, it was such a silly thing to hesitate and talk to him in the first place but… Well, wasn’t it always about the “buts” between them? I like you  _ but…  _ I’d love to stay  _ but _ … 

This was stupid, he didn’t even remember her that way and she was better off without talking to him. He seemed so in sync with his surrounding, much to her surprise. He laughed, he joked, he draped an arm around Toni Topaz and he drank rest of his whiskey while Betty stood there like an immobile pile of muscles and bones. She was, indeed, what Cheryl delightfully called “pathetic” which Kevin even didn’t try to correct.

Avoidance and champagne, it was, then. 

 

_ “God, I hate this place.” Jughead almost moaned in agony after an hour and a half. “Look at them, just getting wasted and doing stupid things they’ll regret tomorrow morning in their own office.” He scoffed. “Idiots.” _ _   
_ _ “Well,” Betty thought about what he said and pursed her lips. “I think everyone should have fun as much as they can in this place.” She said. “If this place can make them forget their regular days in here, let them just make the most of it, right?” _ _   
_ _ “Huh,” Jughead leaned his back to the bar stool. “That’s very optimistic.” _ _   
_ _ “It’s like my brand around here.” She joked. “But I’m with you on how boring this is right now.” _ _   
_ _ “Ah, now you admit I’m right! You’re an enigma, Cooper.” _ _   
_ _ Both of them laughed at his joke. Betty laughed because she’d love to be seen as an enigma despite her ambivert and mostly open behavior. She didn’t know why Jughead laughed but she hoped maybe he’d be willing to solve her. _ _   
_ _ “We should get out of here.” Jughead dragged her thoughts back to him. “It’s stiffy and it smells like Sweet Pea’s man cave.” _ _   
_ _ “To where, exactly?” Betty asked absentmindedly and saw Jughead’s eyes grew darker when he looked at her. He leaned to her and she didn’t step back when he kissed her.  _ _   
_ _ She kissed him back with more than a soft feeling inside her. He kissed her one more time, a hand on her waist and her hand on the back of his neck. _ _   
_ _ “I live four blocks away here.” He said when they parted for air. “But if you want to end the night or I don’t know— I mean it’s not like I—" _ _   
_ __ “I live two blocks away.” She said in a rush. She handed him her reception receipt. “Meet me downstairs in ten.” 

_ It was stupid, it was rushed and it was probably the third beer getting her senses flared. She was never one for the alcohol but hey, this was a New Year Party, she was 22 and Jughead was… well. _

 

She stopped watching him like a stalker and got a new glass of champagne, making herself busy with Kevin and Cheryl. Cheryl was talking about how her new apartment was “just the perfection” and how her girlfriend was hotter than all those “bitches” she’d dated before. She grilled Betty about what went down in Paris and why she was back after four years; what happened to her “French boo” and maybe she should “ditch the dick” and it was never too late for a “sexual awakening”. But those lasted until Betty asked her where Toni was and how was their relationship. After that, it was almost a good two hours of Toni and how perfect she was. She could deal with that.

The hours had passed and Betty felt like someone was watching her. She knew it was nothing, she knew he wasn’t watching her because this was a night of celebration for him; not a night for stalk your… whoever the hell she was to him. Probably a stranger. Definitely nothing more.

_ Her place was decorated in the most Christmas spirit possible. The tree was there, there was a few packages under it wrapped nicely and fairy lights were hanging from everywhere. She took a deep breath when they got in; it was a very small apartment but it was completely hers and she loved it for that sole reason. Jughead plopped down on the couch, tossing the beanie to his side. He gave her a mischief smile as she went into the kitchen to retrieve to glasses and the bottle of cognac Polly and Jason bought for her as a Christmas gift. She sat down next to him, her legs under her and an elbow on the back of the couch, her head resting on her hand. _

_ He took the bottle from her, put it on the coffee table and poured some for both.  _

_ “Cheers,” he raised his glass after he handed hers to Betty. “To the better part of this night.” _

_ Betty smiled at his sentence and they sipped from their drinks which burned both of them so much that they both ended in coughing and laughing. _

_ “Not cheers for this bottle my sister probably stole from her in-laws’ cabinet.” she said when her cough crisis ended. They both laughed for a couple of minutes more but when the silence fell, Betty looked at Jughead’s lips who was also looking at hers at the moment. She didn’t know which one moved first but a moment later they were kissing in a rush which boiled Betty’s blood. She didn’t remember when she moved over him and sat on his lap or didn’t realized when his shirt and her sweater were gone. They kept kissing and undressing one another until Jughead broke their kiss and leaned his temple on hers. _

_ “Are you sure?” he asked in a coarsed voice. “We don’t have to--” _

_ “My room is the one on the left.”  _

_ She heard his chuckle and he grabbed her thigh to keep her in place when he got up. _

_ “You don’t even let me finish, Betts, what’s the rush?” he teased her.  _

_ When they finally reached to the bed after a few dangers of falling to the ground, she giggled and cupped his face. _

_ “You seem very comfortable with that, though.” _

_ “Guilty as charged.” He said as he kissed her neck and bit slowly. _

 

She excused herself as the conversation lost its heat, went towards the balcony of the hotel lobby. It was slowly snowing out there, making Betty smile despite her inner turmoils. She couldn’t understand why she was so hung up on this man -- it wasn’t like they lived an epic love story or she ditched him at the altar. He was just a boy she spent a night (and a day) with. He didn’t stop her; she didn’t want him to, either. After all the years she built a career in all the way across the ocean; she was back to the starting point. It wasn’t like her to act like a stupid school girl out of wistfulness and all the “what-ifs”. 

But she didn’t come back for him, either. It was Polly and it was the newspaper itself -- she missed her sister and the company offered her a good position in New York. She didn’t leave because of Jughead Jones and she didn’t come back for him. This was so pointless, reliving a memory for the sake of Christmas. 

 

_ He was there when she woke up. No, she didn’t want him to go late at night but she didn’t think he’d stay, too. He was softly breathing, half of his face buried into the pillow. His arm was lazyly draped over Betty’s waist and they were facing each other in the bed. She felt the breeze in the room, wiggled under the covers to get herself warm which awakened Jughead in the process.  _

_ “G’mornin’” he mumbled with an eye open. He stretched and laid on his back while a lock of his hair fell on his temple. “What time is it?” he asked with a clearer voice. _

_ “Morning.” Betty smiled and reached for her phone to check it out. “Oh, it’s 9 o’clock.”  _

_ “You sound surprised.” he chuckled.  _

_ “I just thought we’d sleep in after… you know.” she couldn’t help her voice crack and blush which made him look at her. _

_ “I know,” he smirked. “But,” he spoke carefully as he touched her shoulder slowly, making goosebumps at his wake. “We could use that time efficiently, too.” _

_ She gave in to the pit of desire growing inside of her and yes, they indeed used that time efficiently. _

 

_ After an eventful morning, she forcefully dragged him outside to get breakfast. The air was bright and clear despite the fresh snow on the roads. She always enjoyed the cold air and kept talking about how she knew this place who made the best coffee and pancakes in the world. When they finally reached to their destination, Jughead snorted. _

_ “Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe?” he asked. “And you thought I didn’t know this place? Come on, Betts, I’m a man of sophisticated tastes.” and he winked. Damn, this man. _

_ They ate pancakes and fries; drank a great amount of coffee and milkshakes. When they felt like they were full on sugar and caffeine, Jughead offered her another event. _

_ “There is this funfair I worked for when I was in high school.” he said while they paid the bill. “It has the best ferris wheel in the city.” _

_ Betty raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to the left. _

_ “And you think it’s open on the first day of the year?” _

_ “Well, no.” Jughead said as he opened the door for her. “But the current owner is a friend of mine, Harvey Kinkle. And he kinda owes me for saving his relationship one too many times.” _

_ Betty giggled at his commentary and held his arm when she slipped on the frozen road.  _

_ “Lead the way, then.” _

 

She knew that she couldn’t (and shouldn’t) avoid him for the entire party. Even if she did, she’d eventually see him at the newspaper where the glitter and music would stop, any excuse to walk away from him would be impossible. She knew that there was an unresolved goodbye between them when she left for the assistant editor job in Paris. After everything they had lived in the limit of one and a half day, still she had felt a pang of guilt and longing in her throat when she left. She still felt responsible for the look Jughead gave her when she told him about this job. They had nothing to feel sorry for and yet, she knew that they both did. 

The balcony was cold and lonely -- a mean metaphor Cheryl would use for her. But at least it seemed more comfortable than the inside. 

 

_ “Hey, you seemed very stressed earlier,” Jughead asked her during the coffee break the very next day. “Is everything okay?” he sighed and raised his eyebrows. “Did Archie say something to you?” _

_ Betty shook herself from her thoughts and made a face. _

_ “Why would Archie say something to me that would stress me?”  _

_ “Uh… Nothing.” Jughead simply shrugged and poured some coffee for the both of them. “So, what’s up?”  _

_ “Jug, look… yesterday was awesome and I know we both had… long term ideas -- well, at least some ideas about it but--” _

_ “Save the trouble, Betts.” Jughead cut her off, a hand in his pocket and he leaned on the kitchen counter. “I know, you’re not ready for something and we shouldn’t jump into something just yet and yeah, I’m probably not your first choice to go… Really, no problem.” _

_ “But I wasn’t gonna say that!” Betty was startled. She held the mug with both of her hands to warm herself up and tried to find the right words. “I mean… conclusion is the same but the reasoning is totally different.” _

_ “Oh, really?” he was being sarcastic and she couldn’t blame him for it. _

_ “I got promotion.” she said and swallowed while her gaze was focused on her coffee. “As an editor assistant.” _

_ “Betty, that’s great! But I don’t really understand why--” _

_ “In Paris.” she blurted out. “They want me at the office in Paris.” _

_ “Oh.” Jughead adjusted his posture and stood tall, he left the coffee on the counter.  _

_ “Yeah.” she said in the same tone.  _

_ “I… uh, congrats, Betts.” he sighed finally with a smile plastered on his face. “I’m happy for you.” _

_ “Thanks.” she gave an relieved breath and tried to smile when he looked her in the eyes. “It’s actually a wonderful opportunity and you are actually the first person to know.” _

_ “I’m honored.” he spoke softly. “Listen, uh, I gotta finish this article about the movie section or else Topaz will have my head, okay? But, uh, I’ll see you around, right? Okay, bye.” _

_ He left the kitchen in a rush while tears pricked in Betty’s eyes.  _

_ Two days later, when she finally picked up her belongings at the office, everyone wished her the best. Kevin and Archie hugged her, Topaz swore that she was jealous as hell but “kept her cool in the name of feminism and women empowerment and all that shit”. Midge gave her a box of goodbye chocolate while Cheryl gave her a list of every shop and bar she had to see while she was in Paris. Jughead was silent during these shenanigans until it was time for Betty to leave the office for good. _

_ Just as she was about to leave the place, she heard him.  _

 

She wasn’t alone in the balcony now, she knew. She didn’t want to acknowledge another person’s presence. She just wanted this night to end but the new loner must be as bored as she was, the footsteps approached closer.

 

_ “Betty?” _

 

“Betty?”


	2. part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaand this is the second chapter!! thank you for the love you've shown me in the first part, i hope you'll like this one as much!!

He knew her.

 

_ He knew her. _

 

At first, he wasn’t sure if the blonde girl across the room was really her. Because first, it had been years and second, his eyesight started to fail (but, no, he was so not going to use glasses and he didn’t trust contact lenses). However, he knew her. He knew it was Betty talking to Cheryl and Kevin across the room with a champagne in hand. He also heard from Toni that she was offered a good position back in the headquarters of the newspaper which was… pleasant, to say the least. His hand went automatically to his head as an old habit of wearing a beanie but the crown shaped security blanket was long gone. He had ditched it three years ago and still, sometimes when he was in absent state, he’d check to see if it was there.

He ran his hand through his hair in frustration and chugged the rest of his whiskey which was an awful action to take. He coughed as Toni patted his back in laughter.

“Calm down, bad boy. I get you are like some sort of a hero of American journalism but you are still a mess when it comes to drinking.” 

“Yeah, well, we are celebrating. Let him have some dignity, Topaz.” Sweet Pea snickered. “Even though he has none of that shit right now.”

“Ha-ha, fifteen year olds.” Jughead rolled eyes. “Anyways, what were you saying, Arch?”

“I was just saying that how cool is Veronica Lodge helping you on her dad’s case. Like, she is a real badass.”

“Yeah, that she is.” Jughead smiled. “She was gonna be here today but she and her mom decided to take some time to themselves in the Bahamas.”

“The Bahamas?” Sweet Pea raised his eyebrows and whistled. “Damn, Jones, you do know which side of your bread is buttered on.” 

“Veronica and I are friends.” he hissed and saw Betty heading towards the balcony. “Excuse me for a second.”

“Sure,” Sweet Pea yelled as he left his glass down and headed to her direction. “Go get your pearl dressed princess, Jones.”

He walked to the balcony in a rush, not knowing what his go-to move here was but being sure as hell that he’d at least say hi. It wasn’t like they were enemies or something. They were, above all else, colleagues and he just wanted to congratulate her about her newest promotion. 

 

_ He didn’t know how to feel. He knew her, he knew she wanted this even before everything… that happened. He knew it was a lifetime opportunity for interns like Betty. He knew that this was for the best and he knew, tragically, there was no reason for him to be upset about this. He should be happy about this. Why wouldn’t he? She was living her dreams now, maybe he wasn’t going to be a part of it but it was the absolute truth. He didn’t have to be so dramatic about it. _

_ Yet, he felt an indescribable insipidity in his lungs.  _

 

There she stood, her body facing the lights of the city and her golden hair falling down on her shoulders. He could watch her all night like that like a painting but he knew that he should say something. He hated this unnecessary awkwardness he created himself and walked towards her.

“Betty?”

She gasped as she turned at him, her face still like a marble statue and in shock. 

“Jughead.” she breathed and god, did he miss that sound. “I, uh, I didn’t see you back there.” she swallowed and smiled. “Oh my god, how are you?” 

They didn’t know what to do for a second and both went for an unplanned and just as much awkward hug. They patted each others backs and splitted in a second.

“I’m fine,” he chuckled. “How are you? I heard about your promotion, by the way, I guess a congratulations is in order.”

“Oh! Thanks!” Betty smiled and he could swear that it lit up the whole place. “And I heard about taking down Hiram Lodge, nice job! Can’t say I’m not jealous.”

He chuckled and accepted her compliments with a nod. It was incredible how easy going she was. Not that he expected anything but it just seemed like… they seemed like just… colleagues. It left a bittersweet on his tongue.

“So, uh, you’re back in the States, huh?” he kept going on small talking. “Weren’t the French as exciting as us common folk?” he was joking, of course he was but he couldn’t help the harsh tone in his voice. Not that he held grudge or anything, it was just a statement at best. 

Betty sighed at his question and he realized how tired she was. Probably because of the flight, he thought but she looked lovely nevertheless. 

“The French were good, I just didn’t fit.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Believe me,” she chuckled. “The French are indeed the romantics of the world.”

He made a face. 

“That bad, huh?”

“Awful, Jug.” she seemed more relaxed now and he felt his shoulders were no longer tense as well. “I was the epitome of a cold wall when it came to dating.”

“You can’t be  _ that _ bad.” he snorted. “I mean I saw you on a date, you were pretty easy going…” he trailed off when he realized what he had just said. 

They locked eyes and he swallowed in shock.  _ Damn, Jones.  _

“I just meant, uh, that, you know--”

“Jughead, it’s okay.” she cleared her throat and put a hand on his arm. “I get it.”

He wasn’t sure what she got from that epic failure but just nodded and averted his gaze. 

“Dating hasn’t changed in America, too.” he babbled. “Not the best department right now.”

“That bad, huh?” she repeated him with a glint in her eyes but she was smarter not to elaborate further.

“I got dumped right before Christmas, Betty.” he sighed exparseted. “ _ Again _ .”

“How do you keep doing that?” she laughed and threw her head back. “Are we cursed or something?”

“We?” he raised his eyebrows. 

She shrugged and opened her hands in defeat. 

“I dumped someone right before Christmas, as well.”

“Welp,” he went back inside for a second and came back with two glasses of champagne, “We are indeed Christmas-Cursed, Betty Cooper.”

She took the glass out of his hands and smiled.

“I’ll drink to that.”

 

_ He followed her on Instagram and he had her number via the text chain they had for the Blue and Gold. Nevertheless, these didn’t help his demise because what was he supposed to do? Stalk his one night stand like a maniac? No, not today, Satan. _

_ But hey, they were mutuals on social media so he couldn’t help himself when her posts filled his timeline. After a few months of their last awkward goodbye, Jughead found himself checking her page daily and trying to figure out if she was happy or not. _

_ He decided that she was happy after five months when she posted a photograph of herself and some weird named French guy.  _

_ Thanks to whoever found that Mute button. It took awhile for him but eventually, he knew this wouldn’t go anywhere. _

 

They talked as if they’d never parted -- it was so easy for them to get back on where they had left off. She told him about Paris and how she spent her Christmases back there and he filled her in on how everyone was doing in the newspaper. They made jokes, drank champagne and eventually he offered her his jacket.

“You don’t have to--” Betty tried to object but he just ignored her as he adjusted his jacket on her shoulders.

“You look like you’re gonna froze in a few seconds and don’t indicate anything about going inside. So that’s the best option at hand.”

“Leave being a gentleman and being smart about that to Jughead Jones.” she smiled and he tried so hard not to blush under her gaze. “I wonder how you still get dumped with this attitude.”

“Right.” Jughead scoffed. “Because I’m the local chick magnet you know and love.”

She just shrugged and wiggled her eyebrows.

“I thought you wouldn’t recognize me.” she said, now her voice is lowered and deprived of playfulness. “I saw you back there.” she continued despite the shock on his face. “I know I said I didn’t but, uh, I guess I didn’t wanna interfere, you know…”

Jughead cleared his throat and ran his hand through his hair. This was a new level now, they were so good on small talk before and he kind of wished that they’d still talk about how he befriended the Lodge girl and how Toni never stopped bragging about Cheryl. 

“Why wouldn’t I, Betts?” he said in a very similar tone. “It’s not like I erased you or anything.”

She sighed and he did, too. They looked into each other’s eyes for a few minutes until Betty spoke again.

“It’s been four years.” he barely heard her say. “I just… I don’t know, it just seemed silly to hope that you’d… remember.”

“Hope?” it left a soft feeling on his lips and he couldn’t help but smile. “Betty, remembering is an action you do when you start to forget something.” he explained and chuckled but her expression didn’t change. “What I meant is… we worked together, right? And we… you know…” he knew that it was a now or never situation and he knew that if he didn’t speak soon, he’d miss his chance. This time for good. “You are not someone I can forget. What we shared that night -and that day- is not something I can forget.”

He knew this was too much and it wasn’t something you’d bring up after four years but maybe it was something about Betty Cooper that made him want to spread his words out there. Maybe it was her that made him want to just be loud about how she had made him felt all those years ago and how she made him felt now. Or maybe he drank too much whiskey for his own dignity.

Whatever this was now, he knew he couldn’t take back any of it and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to.

He could see the tears in her eyes and he hated that he caused them in the first place. 

“Neither are you.” she whispered. “But I understand that so many years have passed and you are now a different person with a different, better life. I’m not like some weird stalker who is obsessed with a particular time of her life. I just wanted you to know that I cared, that is all.”

“I cared, too.” he said, now his hands are in his pockets, focusing his gaze on the snow covered city.

“It’s good to see you, Jug.” she said and took of his jacket, handing it back to him. 

He slowly took it back and nodded, swallowing his words now that he spoke too much. He knew he scared her off and blew his chance once again.

“I’m sorry.” he whispered. “I sometimes make people uncomfortable. Some say that’s how I exposed Hiram Lodge.” he gave a nervous chuckle and she smiled softly.

“It’s not about what you said.” she said. “I know that I put you in a weird situation when I left. It’s all on me this time.”

Before he could say or ask anything, she went back inside and left him in the balcony all by himself.

 

_ He knew that being hung up on some one night stand wasn’t drawing a perfect picture on his behalf. He knew that it was stupid and now that she was coming back, this was even more stupid. It’d been years and Betty Cooper could still flip his stomach with a mention of her name. _

_ “Such an uncharacteristic move.” Veronica hummed when he told her about Betty. “I didn’t expect this from you.” _

_ Jughead raised his eyebrows at her.  _

_ “What? You thought I was a womanizer, Ronnie?” _

_ “Pfft.” Veronica waved a hand at him. “Of course not. You have a way too big personality for that.” she giggled and poured some whiskey for him. “I just didn’t think you of all people wouldn’t see things as they were, that’s it.” _

_ “Be more specific and I’ll recommend you to Blue and Gold.” _

_ “Ha-ha.” the raven haired girl gave him a lip. “You are clearly in love with this Betty person!” she opened her hands in a way of showing how obvious that was. “Why else you wouldn’t be over her?” _

_ “You are being ridiculous.” he shrugged. _

_ “Look, Jughead, you and I have more emotional issues than both Vogue and the New York Times combined. You should know the value of this feeling.” _

_ “Veronica--” _

_ “Just don’t be stubborn about this. That’s not how the best love stories are written.” _

 

It snowed like it was the damn North Pole the whole night and Jughead did his very best to find Betty in the party crowd but no luck thus far. He knew that this was it and he knew that Veronica was right -- he just didn’t want to embarrass himself even more but he also knew that from now on, he wouldn’t be so passive aggressive about how he felt for her.

He was about to give up when he saw her talking to Reggie Mantle from the circulation department. They were standing next to the door, laughing about something he was telling her. He thought about turning back and heading home, leaving this scene behind but no, not now. Not anymore. He kept himself reserved before and it ended in not talking to Betty for a good for years.

Not anymore.

“Hey.” he approached to them while Reggie was handing her her coat. “I thought you left, Betts.”

“Uh, no, but Reggie was about to call me a cab--”

“I can give you a ride home.” he cut her off in a rush and Betty raised her eyebrows but he ignored.

“I asked the same thing, dude.” Reggie said. “But she said no so if I were you I wouldn’t push it.”

“It’s a wonderful thing that I didn’t ask for your approval, Mantle.” he glared. “I was talking to Betty.”

Betty cleared her throat and glared Reggie as well. 

“Jug, I don’t wanna be a trouble--”

“You won’t.” he said. “Also it’s almost New Year, you won’t find a cab or a car if you’re not gonna stay for the countdown.”

She gave a long breath and pulled him from his arm to get away from Reggie, bidding him a happy new year.

“Jughead…” she trailed off and let go off his arm. “Nevermind.”

“Betty.” he said in a stern voice. “Last time I saw you I didn’t say anything I walked away.” he took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes. “Please, now that we have the time for it and none of us is going anywhere in the near future, let me do this right.”

She laughed at his rush and bit her lip, giving him that pretty smile of hers. He was mesmerized by how much he missed it. 

“Okay.” she whispered. “You still leave four blocks away?”

He nodded and gave a relieved breath. 

“It’s three now.” he said. “This place is closer to my home than the office.”

“I’ll drive.” she said. “I only had two glasses of champagne and I believe it’s washed off because the amount of water I consumed.”

“There she is.” Jughead smiled as well. “The responsible Betty Cooper we know and missed.”

Betty rolled her eyes at her and extended her hand. 

“Keys?”

“Yes, ma’m.” he chuckled. 

Maybe it was because it was snowing or the whole Christmas concept itself but Jughead felt an immediate warmness growing in chest, knowing that he now had broken the whole “Christmas Curse” shit or whatsoever not that he had Betty on his side once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooo how was that??? thank you thank you thank you for every comment and kudos you've left!! see you (hopefully) on bad luck club (sorry for the self promo lol)!! love you all, happy holidays!

**Author's Note:**

> [in cursive letters] validate me [/in cursive letters]
> 
> pls leave a kudos and a comment. thank you!


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